Pandora finally comes to Chromecast via Android & iPhone apps

The biggest setback to Google’s streaming media stick Chromecast is the sparse selection of available applications, which until now hasn’t included any third-party music services. (You could, however, access Google Play Music All Access as well as listen to playlists of music videos on YouTube.)

Today, however, Pandora announced that its Android and iPhone applications will now offer support for the streaming stick, meaning you’ll now be able to push whatever song you’re currently listening to on your phone or tablet to your television set.

Why is this a big deal? Well, it makes the ultra low-priced ($35) Chromecast a bit more attractive on the consumer end. For Pandora, the move could be an extension of its strategy to branch out to television screens, which it began doing after releasing its HTML5 TV web app back in June. Yeah, the new Chromecast support means it’s available on yet another device, but more importantly Pandora has another place where it may one day advertise.

In a Google+ post from Google, the company revealed that Pandora Chromecast support will be available on iPads in the near future.